An internal combustion engine can include at least one cylinder and a plurality of intake valves and exhaust valves for operation. An internal combustion engine can include four cycles or strokes including an intake stroke, a compression stroke, an ignition/combustion/power stroke, and an exhaust stroke. During the intake stroke, the intake valve is opened and a piston can travel away from a cylinder head allowing a fuel and air mixture to enter the combustion chamber of the cylinder. During the compression stroke, the intake valves can be closed and the piston can reciprocate back toward the cylinder head for compressing the fuel and air mixture. During the power stroke, the fuel and air mixture can be ignited for forming a high-pressure gas delivering power to force the piston away from the cylinder head of the cylinder and rotate a crankshaft. During the exhaust stroke, the exhaust valve can be opened and the piston can move back towards the cylinder head causing the combusted fuel/air mixture of the high-pressure gas to be emitted as exhaust. Generally, the distance traveled by the piston during the intake and compression cycles is the same distance as traveled by the piston during the power and exhaust cycles, such that the volume of all four cycles is equal. The compression ratio, or the ratio of the travel distance of the piston at the end of the intake stroke and the beginning of the compression stroke to the travel distance at the beginning of the intake stroke and the end of the compression stroke, is preferably 8:1. It can be desirable to alter the engine cycle such that the volume of the power and exhaust cycles is greater than the volume of the intake and compression cycles for increasing the efficiency of the engine. Varying the engine cycle can require varying the length of the distance between the piston and the crankshaft, allowing the reciprocating motion of the piston within the cylinder to change between a minimum distance and a maximum distance, and thus, changing the compression ratio. Current variable compression systems use connecting rods extending between the piston and the crankshaft or a camshaft associated with the crankshaft. The connecting rods can require additional linkage for effectively changing the length of the connecting rods or the distance between the piston and the crankshaft. Variable compression connecting rod systems have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,602,002; U.S. Pat. No. 8,468,997; U.S. Pat. No. 8,371,263; U.S. Pat. No. 7,891,334; U.S. Pat. No. 7,814,881; U.S. Pat. No. 6,966,279; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,093.